Michigan St. Spartans

Michigan St. Team Notes

As Michigan State prepares to face TCU in the Buffalo Wild Wings Bowl on Dec. 29, it will have more than a game plan on its mind as it tries to finish above the .500 mark.

In addition to attempting to jumpstart an offense that struggled all season, the Spartans will be contemplating what life might be like without several underclassmen, including running back Le'Veon Bell, tight end Dion Sims and defensive end William Gholston.

If Bell was unsure of where the Spartan faithful stood, he found out over the weekend at halftime of a basketball game as he was presented the trophy as the 2012 Elite Running Back of the Year by the College Football Performance Awards.

Chants of "one more year" rained down on Bell as he stood at midcourt.

"It's so emotional," Bell said of the moment. "It's crazy how Spartan Nation really likes Le'Veon Bell. Being here these last couple years meant everything to me. It was a great moment out there and I just wanted to do it for the fans. Of course I couldn't win anything without my teammates. My teammates helped me get to this point. The coaches of course put me in the right situation. It's a total team effort."

Bell and the Spartans began practice on Dec. 8 and it's a game they likely would not have been able to play in without Bell.

He rushed for 1,648 yards in 2012, the second-best single-season total in Michigan State history, and led the Big Ten in rushing with 137.3 yards a game. Bell was sixth in the FBS in rushing and first in carries with 350 and was a first-team All-Big Ten selection.

While there will be plenty of speculation over his future as Michigan State prepares to play TCU, he isn't tipping his hand at this point.

"First and foremost I just want to get to the game first and then just let the rest take care of itself," he said. "I'm not in any rush to make a decision or anything. I haven't really been thinking about it, I've been just trying to finish the season out and this award means everything in the world to me. It's a great award and I just got lucky enough to get chosen to win it."

Neither Gholston nor Sims has tipped his hand to this point, though Gholston snapped at reporters who asked him about his status following the Minnesota game.

Most draft experts predict all three players would likely go in either the second or third round.

--It might not be exactly the spot Michigan State hoped it would finish, but the Spartans were thrilled nonetheless to accept a bid on Sunday to play in the Buffalo Wild Wings Bowl on Dec. 29 in Tempe, Ariz.

The Spartans, who finished a disappointing 6-6 and 3-5 in the Big Ten, will face TCU from the Big 12.

It is the sixth straight bowl game for Michigan State, which became bowl eligible with a victory in the regular-season finale at Minnesota.

And instead of focusing on what might have been, the Spartans are planning to use this final game as a springboard into the 2013 season.

"I think every bowl season usually does," Michigan State coach Mark Dantonio said. "Unless you're playing in any other bowl game other than the national championship, it sort of springboards you to the next season. There will be a lot of time for our younger players to get an opportunity to play, make some changes and move forward."

But that doesn't mean Michigan State is not looking to win.

Dantonio has always emphasized winning the final game of the season and was able to last season by beating Georgia in the Outback Bowl. He also admitted that a 7-6 record looks far better than 6-7, proving again that a winning program is being developed.

"You've got to live with this for eight months, one way or the other," he said. "Much like last year with the Outback Bowl. The difference with the Capital One Bowl in 2010 and the Outback Bowl in 2011 was huge. It came down to winning the football game or not. We'll prepare and get busy with that (today)."

Michigan State will get busy for the Horned Frogs (7-5), who completed their first season in the Big 12 after moving over from the Mountain West and are playing in their eighth straight bowl game.

TCU's season was not terribly unlike Michigan State's. The Frogs struggled to put points on the board all season, ranking eighth in the Big 12. But defensively, they were outstanding, ranking first in the conference in total defense and checking in at 18th in the nation.

But the Spartans hope to use their bowl preparation, which is expected to start Saturday, to make the necessary changes to get their offense rolling.

Some tweaks sound good to quarterback Andrew Maxwell.

"I don't think it would hurt," he said. "It would add another dimension for defensive coordinators to have to account for. If we do decide to do it, it takes time and reps to develop. I'm definitely not opposed to it."

NOTES, QUOTES

PLAYERS TO WATCH:

--QB Andrew Maxwell has had an up-and-down season, his first as Michigan State's starter. His accuracy has not been as sharp late in the season after he was hurt by multiple dropped passes through the first five games. He had some outstanding games, including leading a game-tying drive in the final minutes against Wisconsin before throwing the winning touchdown in overtime. But consistency has been an issue, and if it continues against TCU it could be another long day for the offense.

--RB Le'Veon Bell led the Big Ten in rushing as he continued to climb up the ranks in Michigan State's record books. He is now seventh all-time in rushing yards and his 1,648 yards in 2012 are the second-best single-season mark in MSU history. He ran behind a banged-up offensive line for most of the season but still managed to eclipse the 200-yard mark three times. If he can keep the momentum rolling into the bowl game, it will take plenty of pressure off Maxwell.

--TE Dion Sims missed nearly three full games this season because of injuries but still managed to be named second-team All-Big Ten. He caught 33 passes for 451 yards and two touchdowns and was one of Maxwell's favorite targets. Sims creates matchup problems for almost any defense and the Spartans will need every weapon they can get against the top defense in the Big 12.

--LB Max Bullough finished with 102 tackles for the Spartans and was named first-team All-Big Ten. He is the leader of the defense, both emotionally and on the field in terms of getting his teammates in the right calls on each play. He has the speed to track down quick backs on the perimeter and provide pass coverage while also possessing the toughness to plug up holes inside. He added at least one tackle for loss in each of Michigan State's final seven games.

BOWL HISTORY: Michigan State is 8-14 in bowl games and has now qualified for its sixth straight bowl, a school record. Head coach Mark Dantonio has brought the Spartans to a bowl game in each of his six seasons and snapped a four-game skid last season with a 33-30 victory over Georgia in the Outback Bowl.

QUOTE TO NOTE: "I'm not ashamed of what happened this year. We had a good season, made a lot of good plays, had some good games ... As much as it is about bringing us into next year and the expectations that are there for us, for me, it's about finishing the year off and being proud of what we've done." -- LB Max Bullough on finishing off a frustrating season.

STRATEGY AND PERSONNEL

BOWL BREAKDOWN:

Scouting the running game: Michigan State has Bell, the top rusher in the Big Ten this season, but overall it struggled to run the ball on a consistent basis. Bell went over the 200-yard mark three times this season, but injuries along the offensive line led to inconsistent production for the ground game overall. The front five finally found some stability late in the season and the numbers picked up, including a 278-yard performance to close the year in a win over Minnesota, and the Spartans hope to continue that momentum into the bowl game.

Scouting the passing game: It was the most inconsistent part of an underachieving offense this season, and late in the year Maxwell, in his first year as the Spartans' starter, appeared to become even more inconsistent. He did not rank in the top 10 in passing efficiency in the Big Ten and completed only 52 percent of his passes. He was hurt early in the season by dropped passes, but the receiving corps improved each week. Now the onus is on Maxwell to step up his game for the bowl appearance and solidify his starting position heading into 2013.

Scouting the run defense: The Spartans had the best run defense in the Big Ten, giving up 99.6 yards a game on the ground. They allowed only 19 net rushing yards in a victory over Wisconsin, the same team that ran for 539 yards in the Big Ten championship game. The Horned Frogs struggled to run the ball all season and should play right into the strength of the Spartans' defense

Scouting the pass defense: The Spartans intercepted the ball 13 times, a dropoff from last season; however, they still ranked third in the Big Ten in pass defense. MSU also struggled getting to the passer, something it did well in 2011 with 45 sacks before falling to just 16 this season. However, both cornerbacks are very good, as Johnny Adams and Darqueze Dennard each had three interceptions. TCU is using its second quarterback this season and he is more of a runner, but the Spartans will need another strong outing from its secondary.

Scouting the special teams: Punter Mike Sadler was named first-team All-Big Ten, ranking second in the Big Ten with a 43.2-yard average and dropping 28 punts inside the 20-yard line. Things weren't as solid when it came to field goals, as senior Dan Conroy made 22, more than any other kicker in the Big Ten, but they came on 31 attempts for a 71-percent average. He did kick three 50-yard field goals and nailed four in the regular-season finale at Minnesota, but in a tight game the pressure will be on the senior in his final game.

Intangibles: Michigan State did not have the season it expected and never figured it would have to win its final game of the season to become bowl eligible. However, now that it's in a bowl game, the focus is to win its second straight. If the Spartans can get past the fact they're not in Pasadena and focus on finishing with a winning record heading into 2013, it can certainly come out on top. But TCU is no slouch and boasts a defense almost as good as Michigan State's. Dantonio has almost always had his team ready to play and this game should be no different.

ROSTER REPORT

--Defensive coordinator Pat Narduzzi is staying put, for now. When Butch Jones left Cincinnati to become the head coach at Tennessee, Narduzzi was expected to be near the top of the list of candidates to take his place. But one day later, Cincinnati hired Texas Tech coach Tommy Tuberville.

It likely won't be the last time Narduzzi's name will come up. He has built the Spartans into one of the nation's top defenses and coach Mark Dantonio is behind his top assistant.

"We want the best for our coaches and if you have the opportunity to become a head coach, obviously that's very important in your professional life," Dantonio said. "It happens very, very infrequently, those opportunities come along, so we'll try to do everything we can to try to move those things forward. I think Pat's going to be an outstanding coach, outstanding head football coach, and it's just a matter of time."

--Dantonio said redshirt freshman Lawrence Thomas will see time back at defense during bowl practices.

"We want to get LT playing on defense," Dantonio said, "but I think it's important he continues to play on offense, because he's a factor right now."

Thomas came to Michigan State as a linebacker but switched to defensive end at the start of practice in August. Two weeks into the season, he was at fullback, a spot he has remained for the rest of the season.

Dantonio also said junior linebacker TyQuan Hammock will work at fullback.

--Since the end of the regular season there has been speculation that Michigan State would make significant changes to its pro-style offense. However, Dantonio said much of that has been overblown.

"You make one little statement like that and all of a sudden it becomes very big news," he said. "The foundation of who we are offensively is going to remain unchanged.

"When I talked about the change thing, it's more about critiquing ourselves and asking ourselves what do we need, how can we get better? Some of those things can be addressed in bowl season, some of those things can be addressed in the spring or in the summer, but it certainly is not a wholesale change of any sort as we move forward."

--C Travis Jackson (knee) and RT Fou Fonoti (ankle) might get back on the practice field for the bowl game but Dantonio said he doesn't expect either to be ready to play. Both missed most of the season and their absence was a big factor in Michigan State's struggle on offense.

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